Today’s hui to consider a complaint against Maori Party MP Hone Harawira has turned into a rally in support of him, with his critics not attending the proceedings. The complaint, laid by party whip Te Ururoa Flavell and backed by the other Maori Party MPs, centred around a newspaper column in which Mr Harawira said the Maori Party had become too wrapped up in its coalition with National.

The party’s national council asked for Mr Harawira’s Te Tai Tokerau electorate committee to organise a hui involving Mr Flavell and Mr Harawira.

However, the meeting got under way at the Whakapara Marae, about 23km north of Whangarei, this morning with only Mr Harawira present from the Maori parliamentary caucus. Mr Flavell told NZPA he had not received an invitation to the meeting. “I have had no communication whatsoever from the Tai Tokerau electorate, or anyone associated with it,” Mr Flavell said. “All I know is that it was put back in the hands of the electorate committee to try and resolve it, and the theory was that since I was the complainant I would have had some communication, but I haven’t, so now it’s back in the hands of the national council.”

Party president Pem Bird, who was absent from today’s hui and said he had also had not received an invitation, said the meeting could not resolve the issue.

“The crucial meeting is the one with Te Ururoa Flavell present with Harawira, without both present there can be no resolution.”

Mr Bird told nzherald.co.nz he only knew about today’s hui from an email sent to him by Te Tai Tokerau electorate officials at 9.23pm yesterday.

He said he was upset media knew about the time and venue of the hui before he was informed.

“It is disappointing. I can say that. It is disappointing.

“I get an email at 9.23pm last night and I wasn’t told the time or exactly where the marae is.

“We’ve been lambasted and criticised for going the Pakeha way. Well this is a Maori process… Face to face. Whose faces? Te Ururoa’s and Hone’s.”

Mr Bird said he would discuss the party’s next step with the national council following today’s hui.

The council had pushed for a meeting between the two MPs, and Mr Bird said it would be excellent if that could still happen.

“Another outcome would be that the broader interests of the party need to be considered and we would consider the next step in the process, the disciplinary dispute process.”

About 100 people were gathered at today’s hui, and signs saying “Hone’s the man” and “change the leadership” were posted outside the marae.

Te Tai Tokerau member Ruben Taipari said Mr Harawira was just doing what he had been elected to do and standing up for all Maori people.

“A lot of people think he’s just a trouble maker and just out there to pick a fight all the time, but a lot of us young people support him because at least someone’s in there fighting for our rights,” Mr Taipari said.

Asked whether Mr Harawira should leave the Maori Party and stand independently, Mr Taipari said he should do what’s best for his constituents.

“Personally, I think he should stay with the party if they can get on, but if they can’t get on then what’s the point of staying in a place were you’re not wanted or you’re not being effective. Better that you go off and do your own thing and continue your fight like that. It’s better for him, it’s better for them.”

Mr Harawira was expected to address the media this afternoon.

Hui facilitator Malcolm Mulholland said the remainder of the day’s discussions – which were not open to the media – would focus on the complaint and the process by which it was laid. Many felt it was done behind closed doors without necessary consultation.

SIMILAR ARTICLES

ae tautoko set ur own party up hone wwork wit u 4 maori party in aucks and ur only mp thats not change always 4 people kia kaha

http://www.ict.maori.nz Rei Sciascia

One begs to ask what is buried deep inside the brown politics and whos really driving the bus for Maori.

http://erakablog.wordpress.com Arto Dostoyevsky

The sooner Harawira starts up his own party, the better!

http://facebook te enga harris

hell its bad politics ,when a representative of our people can't even talk on the same page as his colleagues coz one of them is sensitive to their own ???pull your selves together" te kai o te rangatira he korero! he korero! " i thought we were in when i gave this dysfunctional maori party my 2 ticks and all you maoris do is nit pick everything hone does well if i was your leader if you don't compromise and let us your people see that you are a unified force against the corruption that goes on in that toxic place called the beehive you should all retire and give it to those that know how to serve the maoris that are relying on all of yous to lead by example hone is the only one thats not sacred to say what we the real people know is true and come on boys and girls play nice g show us you are worthy of being our maori peoples voice get the phuk over yourselves grow up smell the roses its all propagaanda while the real murderers and highly paid officials love it when u niggas are at each other your fellas behaviour is so so suki baba close the door and turn the lights out on your fellas way out all of this public crying bullshit is necessary if hne goes all you bastards should go too clean slate start again do not pass go do not get $350 steps and take yourselves directly to jail i reckon my 13yr mokopuna can do a better job than allof yous pit 2gether…..uz don't get my vote what have yous really done for us ur maori people besides the perks yous have nothing in 3yrs except trash hone shame on all of uz at drain diggers are honest hard workers um u pussy should look in the mirror

Te Kaharoa

I think they just need to get over it, hurry up and resolve the issue so the party and Hone can move on and get back to doing something productive for their supporters! All this bickering is embarrassing.